The scene in the Federation hall was merely a recent Microcosm.
Outside Shrek City, after learning that Shrek Academy had been sealed off, some of Shrek's supporters, after communicating with their elders and companions or thinking it through for themselves, chose silence or even to side with the Federation.
Others were extremely anxious, trying to gather information through various channels. Some even secretly gathered, discussing how to "voice support for" or "rescue" the academy in their hearts.
A head on confrontation was impossible. No matter how great Shrek Academy's influence, it could not confront the Federation. The only option was to help the academy through various forms of public voice.
However, the facts proved they were overthinking.
Their voice offline but online had almost no effect.
The general public's eyes were not blind. Although when the Federation first issued the news of sanctions against Shrek Academy, everyone was somewhat overwhelmed at the sudden news.
But after the initial shock and confusion, the public learned more inside information. Especially after the Spirit Transmission Tower publicly supported the Federation and condemned Shrek Academy's actions, the balance of public opinion was thoroughly, irreversibly tilted.
The direction of discussion in the streets and online quietly shifted.
"Shrek is powerful, but no matter how powerful, it cannot act lawlessly, right? Stealing the Eternal Heaven? What is the difference between that and treason?"
"I heard they have also been secretly sending things to the Xingluo Continent. Is that not eating from the hand and biting the hand that feeds?"
"I know that Major General Xu on the Federation's punishment list. He is also a Shrek graduate. He chose to conceal the theft of a strategic weapon. If a Major General is like this, I could do it too."
"I used to regret that my child did not get into Shrek. Now, I am glad he did not go. Where does the heart of a child raised in such a place truly belong? I hope he does not disown his own mother."
Faced with this situation, those close to Shrek naturally retorted.
There were claims such as "there are inside details to this matter," "someone must be slandering," "we believe in Shrek, Shrek cannot be wrong," and so on.
But most of them were met with even fiercer rebuttal.
"Slander? Did Shrek not do those things? Was everything slander? Then Shrek must be truly powerful, powerful enough that someone would use so much slander to attack you."
"I also think Shrek is no good. That final exam where they challenge soul masters on the street, they injured my son and did not pay compensation. When asked, they said all their assets were taken by the academy, they did not have enough money, they would pay later, and then they left. It is simply insane."
"I once saw Shrek seize a Federation military aircraft. I thought someone was impersonating Shrek students. Now it seems it was real."
"Last year, Shrek students fought outside our company, damaging a lot of property. They only gave us ten thousand Federation coins as compensation, not even one percent."
"Huh? That ID looks familiar. Was your loss not just a door?"
Those who stood up to defend Shrek were immediately met with questioning and attacks from all sides. They not only had to defend the core accusations of the Eternal Heaven and supporting Xingluo but also had to grapple with countless, whether true or false, whether major or minor, "old scores" and "civilian grievances."
In the end, even the family members of victims from ten thousand years ago showed up.
"Believe in Shrek. Shrek cannot be wrong? Heh. Our family's ancestor was betrayed by Shrek. Do you know about the Death God Emissary from ten thousand years ago? A Soul King, right in front of a level 98 Super Douluo, beat and crippled two generations of the Shrek Seven Devils, including my ancestor. If not for that Death God Emissary self destructing later, the other ancestors of our family would not even have known the reason for my ancestor's injury. He could have reached the peak, but because of the irresponsibility of a Shrek expert, he ended up paralyzed."
Faced with this situation, Shrek's supporters felt a wave of powerlessness.
Even as the Spirit Transmission Tower further demonstrates its influence, some Shrek supporters discovered an even more desperate situation.
Their spirit souls actually wanted to dissolve their contracts with them.
"Partner, are you betraying me?"
A soul master looked at the spirit soul beside him in disbelief, communicating with him through spiritual power.
"You betrayed me first. What are you doing now? Are you willing to throw away your own life for Shrek?"
In the spiritual world, the spirit soul said coldly, "Shrek made a mistake. It must pay the price. The Federation has even given the people in Shrek City a chance, not wiping them out. But what about you? What are you doing? You are supporting a mistake, and you might even drag everyone around you into the abyss because of it."
The soul master's whole body trembled. He was stunned.
For soul masters of this era, trust in spirit souls had long surpassed many secular bonds through years of accumulated relationships.
When a spirit soul expressed opposition in such a clear and decisive manner, the impact and persuasiveness it brought even exceeded the warnings of family elders or the cold laws of the Federation.
Therefore, seeing that even the spirit souls with whom they shared their days and nights, life and death, did not agree with them, more people woke up.
However, there were still stubborn people who continued to support Shrek.
In response, the Federation, which had been watching these people perform, began to react.
Giving Shrek time to let things ferment was not without purpose. It was to flush out those who were utterly devoted to Shrek.
Watching the messages defending Shrek on the soul tool network with some boredom, Gu Ruiqiu yawned.
These people would not give up until they saw the coffin lid.
With your free time, you would be better off doing some good deeds and earning some merits. Maybe the Federation would give you some preferential treatment.
Thinking this, Gu Ruiqiu glanced at Huo Yuhao's room and asked Snow Empress beside her, "Snow Empress, how much longer will Huo Yuhao take?"
Ever since returning yesterday, Huo Yuhao had gone into seclusion and had not come out yet.
Snow Empress looked up from the list before her and answered, "He is going to break through to Soul Sage and completely condense his second soul core. Moreover, Yuhao has his own ideas. It should still take some time."
Beside them, Gu Yuena, who was teaching Jia Lin how to use various modern soul tools and cultivation knowledge, saw Gu Ruiqiu's bored expression. "If you are so bored, why not cultivate more? Or help Snow Empress think about how to identify Possession Demons. Within the Spirit Transmission Tower, it is fine. We can control it. But using Life Crystals for large scale identification across the entire Federation would Alert the Enemy by Rash Actions."
"I cultivate very diligently, okay? I am almost at Titled Douluo. I have even thought of a title. I will call it Dragon God Douluo."
Seeing Gu Yuena and Jia Lin simultaneously shoot death glares at her, Gu Ruiqiu cleared her throat lightly and quickly stopped the topic, but she could not help muttering inwardly.
Was it against the law to be called Dragon God?
I am not disrespecting the Dragon God. I do not intend to usurp Your Majesty. Why are you looking at me like that?
And throughout history, there have been many Titled Douluo with the title Dragon God. You did not seem to mind them. You cannot apply ignorance as innocence, can you?
Gu Ruiqiu pouted inwardly.
For titles related to the Golden Dragon martial soul, she could not think of many that sounded domineering. Otherwise, she would not have set her sights on "Dragon God."
The title "Dragon Emperor" was not bad either. It was just that this title had been used by that old woman Long Yuye.
(Long Yuye initially used the title Dragon Emperor. Later, probably to make way for Tang Wulin's title, she changed it to Light and Dark.)
During her time as Dragon Emperor Douluo, Long Yuye was very triumphant. Believing she possessed the two super martial souls of Light Sacred Dragon and Dark Sacred Dragon, she had great suppression over similar martial souls and the dragon race. So she took the title of "Dragon Emperor." She even challenged Emperor Tian, wanting to completely prove the legitimacy of her "Dragon Emperor" title.
Then, she shut herself in.
After a while, she even changed her title to Light and Dark. But even so, Gu Ruiqiu inexplicably did not want to use that title anymore.
Thinking of the Dragon Emperor Douluo Long Xiaoyao from ten thousand years ago and the Dragon Emperor Douluo Long Yuye of this era, Gu Ruiqiu felt that the title seemed Cursed.
Well, Huo Yuhao had told her the story of Long Xiaoyao ten thousand years ago. After all, the stories of Long Xiaoyao, Ye Xishui, Mu En, and the "Three Beauties" of Spirit Hall were all very good examples, enough to warn one not to get too Love Brain.
And she had heard the story of Long Yuye, Heaven Favored Douluo, and Chen Xinjie from Bear Lord a hundred years ago.
"Wait. Long Yuye and Ye Xishui, Heaven Favored Douluo, Chen Xinjie and Long Xiaoyao, Mu En."
What a Symmetrical love triangle. It was like looking in a mirror.
The Auspicious Beast's eyes widened. She felt a bit excited, as if she had vaguely discovered some strange pattern of the world.
Seeing the Auspicious Beast suddenly freeze up, Gu Yuena frowned. Her sharp gaze caused Gu Ruiqiu to snap back to attention and awkwardly changed the subject.
"Regarding Possession Demons. Is the Spirit Transmission Tower's soul tool research institute not studying that divine weapon made from a Possession Demon? We can wait for results. Besides, did Huo Yuhao not make a suggestion?"
"I remember him saying we could start with those who support the popularization of spirit souls, right?"
Gu Ruiqiu said solemnly.
"I am investigating the list."
Snow Empress then spoke. "Given Xingluo's situation, if they want more spirit souls, they either need to increase smuggling efforts from this side or need the help of the Holy Spirit Cult."
"Yuhao probably proposed this idea based on this point. After all, once spirit souls are popularized among the common people, it will be easier for the Xingluo side to obtain spirit souls. And the Possession Demons only need to have the councilors they control, showing their support for this proposal, with no risk."
The popularization of spirit souls was a voice that had appeared in the Council in recent years. Last time, Yuhao had heard this news from Nanaly at the Spirit Ice Ceremony and had kept it in mind.
Now that the threat of Possession Demons had emerged, he had immediately thought of this investigative direction. It made Snow Empress feel somewhat emotional.
Things that seemed commonplace to them, and were inevitable developments of the times, had become clues worthy of investigation in Huo Yuhao's eyes.
While the three were discussing Possession Demons, in the space of the God Imprint Throne, a battle and trial were also reaching their most intense moment.
***
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